Bias: Stoke City praise Peter Crouch’s ‘expert’ cheating against Arsenal
Media Bias: when Stoke City’s Peter Crouch scored with his hand against Arsenal in yesterday’s Premier League match, pundits on BBC TV’s Match of the Day pundit meekly said ‘It should have been disallowed’. There was no shame heaped on former England player ‘Crouchy’ for his cheating. It was not his fault that he scored with his hand and then celebrated wildly. It was the referee’s error.
How does the media report the goal?
Stoke City FC website: “PETER CROUCH expressed disappointment that his second half strike counted for nothing as Stoke City fell to a 4-1 loss to Arsenal in their final home game of the 2016/17 season.”
A second half “strike” that disappointingly counted.
Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil struck either side of the interval before Crouch was summoned from the bench and pulled one back for the Potters midway through the second period.
Mark Hughes’ side enjoyed a dominant 10 minute spell after the striker’s near post effort…
Crouch’s effort was his ninth of the campaign, and although pleased to net once again…
But the goal was scored with his hand. Crouch says:
“I just threw everything at it and it’s come off my hand a little bit but it was a goal and I was pleased to score another one.”
No. It came off your hand entirely, Peter. It was handball. But good you were pleased.
But Crouch’s blinkered view of his cheating pales when compared to the official Stoke City match report:
The hosts did offer some resistance… and managed to halve the deficit through substitute Peter Crouch, who expertly headed home his ninth of the season from close range just minutes after being thrust on to the field.
And on the Arsenal website:
But finally the hosts did break through – albeit in hugely controversial circumstances – as Arnautovic broke down the left once more and whipped in a cross that Crouch sent in via his hand.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 14th, May 2017 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
